Results 481-500 of 798 for speaker:Cathal Berry

Address by H.E. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (6 Apr 2022)

Cathal Berry: I am very grateful to contribute to this historic debate on behalf of my colleagues in the Regional Group. I would like to welcome the ambassador of Ukraine, H.E. Ms Larysa Gerasko, to the Chamber. I congratulate her armed forces on repelling the Russian attack against her capital city. When we consider the atrocities that took place in Bucha only a few days ago, we shudder to think what...

Seanad: Comhshuí de Dháil Éireann agus de Sheanad Éireann - Joint Sitting of the Houses of the Oireachtas - Address by H.E. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (6 Apr 2022)

Cathal Berry: I am very grateful to contribute to this historic debate on behalf of my colleagues in the Regional Group. I would like to welcome the ambassador of Ukraine, H.E. Ms Larysa Gerasko, to the Chamber. I congratulate her armed forces on repelling the Russian attack against her capital city. When we consider the atrocities that took place in Bucha only a few days ago, we shudder to think what...

An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Neodracht), 2022: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Neutrality) Bill 2022: Second Stage [Private Members] (30 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank People Before Profit for bringing this very important Bill to the Chamber for debate this morning as it allows us discuss Ireland's military posture. It is very topical and timely. In the limited time available to me I will focus on a niche area that has not been discussed yet this morning, namely, how dependent our Defence Forces are on training and cross-training with other...

Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: I welcome the Minister of State's opening statement, which was very detailed, technical and useful. I also welcome the Bill, which was supposed to have been pushed through some 15 years ago. Unfortunately, tragic events overtook us at the time. The initialism "IMF" is, for good reason, quite an emotive one for people in this country. It is synonymous with our economic crash and the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: As the Minister is aware, the Defence Forces representative associations have been locked out of national wage talks for decades now. It is one of the reasons our troops are the most poorly paid public servants in the country. The Commission on the Defence Forces reported in January and has recommended to the Government that associate membership of ICTU be provided to both PDFORRA and RACO....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (10 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: I will focus my questions on the situation in Ukraine, starting with the refugee component. Everyone in the House is aware that almost 2,500 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in this jurisdiction in the last number of weeks. In fairness to the Irish public, their response has been extraordinary. They have opened up their hearts and homes to people fleeing war from the opposite side of the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (10 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for outlining the Government's position. I am glad Deputy Gannon mentioned the appalling atrocity in Mariupol yesterday, namely, the bombing of the maternity and children's hospital. I was recently contacted by the HSE, which pointed out that there is some small spare capacity in our neonatal ICUs in Ireland. There is a national neonatal transport programme available...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: I welcome the Minister and his team. I have some brief questions. I am not sure what programme they come under so I will fire them out if that is okay. Do we have plans to open any new embassies this year or next year? Did Ireland purchase the building that houses our embassy in Kyiv or do we lease it? If the latter is the case, how much did the lease cost? Has the embassy sustained any...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: The Minister may not be aware of this. Has our embassy building in Kyiv sustained any damage at all? If it is affected over the next few weeks, do we have a system in place to know whether it has been damaged?

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: I welcome the Minister and I thank him for his opening statement. I also welcome his team. I have two brief questions. I welcome the size of the overseas development assistance budget for this year. Do we have anything in reserve or uncommitted? For instance, if Ireland decides to make a further contribution to the European Peace Facility fund, do we have any spare headroom? We know...

Proposal for a Council Decision on Hate Speech and Hate Crime: Motion (9 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate which is timely and appropriate. I am happy to support the addition of hate speech and hate crimes to the EU list of crimes that are indictable. As Deputies we all appreciate the importance of freedom of speech. While we should be allowed freedom of expression inside this Chamber and beyond, the majority of us appreciate also that...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (9 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: 114. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the position regarding the promotion competition for enlisted personnel which was due to commence in 2021; when the competition is expected to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13461/22]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (9 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: 115. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of promotions pending throughout the Defence Forces by branch and rank in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13462/22]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (9 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: 116. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the position regarding his Departments implementation of recommendations within the Public Service Pay Commission 2019 on recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces, particularly in relation to options to tackle barriers to extended participation in the Permanent Defence Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13463/22]

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (9 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for his opening statement, and the Department officials are very welcome. I have three observations on Vote 35. On page 3 of the Minister's opening statement, we see that 12,890 people are in receipt of Army pensions. That is a massive number. My observation is that there are 50% more people on military pensions than are actually serving in the Defence Forces. It...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (9 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: My question is quite technical and, therefore, I appreciate the Minister may not have an answer to hand. If an enlisted soldier, say, of private or corporal rank, retires after 31 years' service, he or she will get a 31-year pension, perhaps in his or her late 50s or at 60-years-old. When he or she hits 66, he or she will get the old age pension, but the 31-year pension will be pushed back...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (9 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: It may for the post-2004 position but perhaps pre-2004 might not be on that.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (9 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: I will make a couple of points. On page 5, it states that 19% of the Defence Forces served overseas in 2020, which is a staggering number. I want to emphasise that. When one fifth of an organisation is spending six months overseas, it has massive implications for family separation and all the social issues that go with that. It emphasises why we need to have more substitutes on the bench,...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (9 Mar 2022)

Cathal Berry: On page 20, under subhead A13, I very much welcome the increase in infrastructure expenditure from the guts of-----